Hazaribag post-mortem services were disrupted after Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital referred a 24-year-old woman’s body to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi following the resignation of its forensic specialist on Friday.
The medical college sent the body to RIMS for examination in a suspected poisoning death. Civil surgeon Dr Ashok Kumar said the case required expert opinion and that efforts were under way to appoint forensic doctors at the earliest.
The resignation has left the forensic specialist’s post vacant and affected the hospital’s ability to conduct post-mortem examinations locally. The disruption means families may have to travel nearly 100 km from Hazaribag to Ranchi when forensic expertise is required, adding logistical and emotional pressure during a time-sensitive legal and medical process.
A relative of the deceased woman questioned the purpose of having a medical college and hospital in Hazaribag if authorities could not conduct a post-mortem examination there. The remarks came as the institution faced renewed criticism over referring patients to other hospitals and medical institutes for treatment.
The issue extends beyond Hazaribag district because Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital caters to patients from Chatra, Koderma, Giridih and Bokaro as well as Hazaribag. A vacancy in a specialised department therefore affects a wider service area, particularly in cases where post-mortem examinations require forensic expertise.
Forensic examinations form part of the interface between public healthcare and the criminal justice system. Delays or referrals can affect the movement of bodies, the availability of expert opinion and the ability of families and investigating agencies to complete procedures locally. The report, however, does not specify how many examinations have been affected since the specialist resigned or when a replacement will join.
Ranjan Chaudhary, media in-charge of Hazaribag MP Manish Jaiswal, appealed to the state government and health department to appoint a forensic specialist so that post-mortem examinations in all cases could be conducted at Hazaribag. Dr Kumar said the authorities were working towards an appointment at the earliest, but no specific recruitment or joining date was provided.
The immediate administrative step is the appointment of forensic doctors at Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital. Until then, cases requiring specialist opinion may continue to be referred to RIMS in Ranchi, according to the details available in the report.
